Wonderbolts Initiative: Your Flight Magic Primer [INTERNAL USE ONLY ROOKIE!]
Author's Note
Trying to set out more of the details for the world I'm working on. Think of this being written at some point around twenty years ago just before the mane 6 were born. Haven't gotten the year systems settled yet.
Wonderbolts Initiative: Your Flight Magic Primer [INTERNAL USE ONLY ROOKIE!]
The Wonderbolts Initiative
SEMPER VIGILANTES
Initial Flight Magic Primer
RESTRICTED DOCUMENT
Welcome Rookie.
If you’ve got a brain in your head like you must for getting accepted to our ranks, you’re already expecting this won’t be as dry as other military organizations in service to our Princesses.
We are the Wonderbolts. We play by different rules.
The purpose of this short primer is giving you a quick rundown of some basic facts about us, pegasi flight magic, and some culture here.
As you know, our organization was created to carry on Commander Hurricane’s understanding of the Pegasus Warrior and our role in a more peaceful future of the united pony tribes. Recognizing that although we may stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters among the Earth Ponies and Unicorns in peace, it is our duty to never forget we are ultimately their foremost protectors against hostile forces.
Unicorns take care of magical threats and help the tribes light up the world around them. Earth Ponies form much of the foundation of our society and their hard work keeps us fed. As Pegasi, our task is to keep an eye out for those on the ground and smooth out the weather.
Wonderbolts hold to our duty to forever be vigilant against the things no other can face.
Though we perform shows around the world, operate as the absolute best search and rescue teams on Equus and represent Equestria on more goodwill missions than any other organization in the various Equestrian Guard forces, we are doing them as second to our primary purpose.
At all times, we must be vigilant for when the moment arrives that groundies need us in the air above. When danger arrives, so too shall we Wonderbolts appear and strike down any that would bring harm to our charges. No matter what challenge attempts to rise, we answer.
We are peerless warriors above all.
Pegasi Flight Magic & Skyborne Elementals
Main functions of Pegasus Flight Magic
Pegasus flight magic and our natural inclination to wield part of the power of the sky is a mystery to most outside our organization. The ancient clans we once flew as together left us a legacy of fighting potential that rivals anything the Unicorns brought with their magic. Perhaps even greater in some ways. There is plenty I could throw at you here, but you’ll have classes that cover this so I won’t waste the time. We’ll be running you through plenty of details later, so I’ll just let you look over the basics.
One of the first things to understand is we fly on more than just flapping our wings. If you made it this far without understanding the basics from Flight Camp when you were a foal, I don’t know how you got here. As you know, we have minor gravity distortion when we fly. Our mass and inertia is reduced. All but the most rudimentary fliers understand how to curve the air around themselves as they move to improve drag characteristics. Our not quite streamlined bodies become excellent in flight as a result.
Like ordinary birds that flutter around wishing they were as good as us pegasi, we grow up with the innate gift of flight instincts that allows almost all of us to enjoy basic tricks and stunts based on simple aerodynamics. We can take turns tighter, climb faster, dive harder, and come to a stop quicker than anything else in the air. We are natural masters of flight.
Skyborne Elementals & The Five Primary Types
Now we’re going to start going into things the public has largely forgotten.
We are born of the sky and it speaks to and through us with the natural elements we guide into harmony with our well-known weather control, not so unlike the gryphons and hippogriff races, though we are the most capable.
However, we pegasi are also born elementalists of the sky.
What has been almost forgotten outside our ranks is the fact that every pegasus is born with a connection to and capability to wield those very same elements when they’ve been taught accordingly. The sparking clouds we often trail for airshows are one of the common skills we can all express within our Skyborne elemental abilities.
Beyond just the Treaties of the Unification, Commander Hurricane saw how important it was for the Pegasus Tribe to both preserve and restrict how to use our natural born talents as elemental warriors. Alone, we can hit hard and fast. As a united team however, we can raise forces of nature only the Princesses themselves would ever consider putting to use, to say nothing of the fact they’re the only one’s with enough power. Be it creating clouds out of thin air or ripping apart a tornado before it hits a town, it is just a glimpse of our power. And there is so much more than just wind and cloud.
Just don’t forget that anything you do depends on your being in the air and flying. Some things are possible when standing on a cloud, but our Skyborne connections suffer when we are not in flight. Touching the ground can often inhibit everything and leave you with only basic flight magic.
Wind Types
The first and most common incarnation of the Skyborne elementals are those born of Wind. Those attuned to the wind around them have the capacity to fly faster and with more control than the other four in many cases and particularly storm conditions. With proper training, those that wield the wind can learn how to shape different forms and even blades out of the air itself to cut through a number of different things or simply blast them apart through air pressure. Being warriors, this is of course focused on it’s use as a weapon against threats. I’m sure you can figure out the rest from that.
They wield a Sonic Cloudboom as their most basic signature. Loud as thunder in Tartarus if unrestrained and a lot of concussive force with a ring cloud appearing at the leading edge of the shockwave which dissipates as it expands.
Some common humor is calling them Noisemakers, Huff’n’Puffs, and Shakies.
You’ll figure out how we fly by the end of your first day or we’ll have no end of fun messing with you, Rookie.
Eh, who am I kidding? We’ll mess with you anyway.
Water Types
For those born of Water, they’ll have a natural inclination to pull rain out of clouds with hardly an effort, and even from the very moisture in the air once properly trained. Despite water not sounding very dangerous, do not underestimate what water types are capable of. You get in a sparring match and take a high speed water ball to the chest or wing, you’ll see just how much impact they can deliver. In specific situations, they can work with two of the other types for particularly useful options, though I will not cover team maneuvers here. They tend to function more as supportive than direct attackers if they lack the right level of experience.
Wielders of the Sonic Waterboom, they cause a sudden burst of water in a broad ring splash. Smallest shockwave but hits like a charging Minotaur if they set one off next to anything solid and can even crack most unfortified walls, much like fires. Yeah, doesn’t sound as interesting on the surface but they have their uses. Of particular note is their natural abilities make them exceptional at firefighting operations. I think that’s all you need to figure the rest.
Some names include Tinklers, Fancy Lawn Sprinklers, and Splat Masters.
The latter is usually used when they show somepony that doesn’t give them their due just how much water, or how little really, a skilled Water type can knock you down with, soaking wet, into the nearest cloud.
Ice Types
For those born of Ice, one of the more unique traits is an incredible resistance to cold. Naturally, we pegasi are resistant to cold of course. We fly high in the air over mountains covered with snow and just smile at the tops below us. These cold-loving bastards are on a whole different level though. They are capable of flying in conditions that ground the rest of us. For reasons not fully explained, they do not suffer from wing icing in a winter storm or other similar conditions. Able to condense moisture in the air and draw together chunks of solid ice beside themselves in the air, they have a powerful capacity for creating their own weapons. Other unusual capabilities include forming hardened ice over a part of their own bodies in makeshift bandages, or even splints, if medical attention is not an immediate option. Their ice only melts when they tell it to or they land.
They wield the Sonic Iceboom. These are not to be taken lightly, even in training. If uncontrolled, they have the potential to spontaneously generate shards that scatter with a substantial amount of force. Those attuned to ice need to be taught control before you’re allowed to have free license to pull your booms around others or in anything less than a cloudless sky. It is easy to control, however, leaving snow behind instead of ice shards.
They tend to hear themselves called Cold Crunchies, Numbnuts, and Brainfreezers.
Lightning Types
Those pegasi born of Lightning have a special gift. Capable of building up static charges of a very wide range of strength, then direct the gathered energy, Lightning types are very capable fighters. As part of the unique properties of their natural capabilities, they are also adept at non-lethal submission. Granted, when we Wonderbolts go to fight, it is a rare blessing we’re not trying to kill a threat outright. That said, they wield the power of lightning. They have the potential to strike without warning and from unusual angles. When they have enough skill, a lightning type can fire off a bolt of lighting they have charged up in any direction around them. And they pack as much force as they can build up an electrical charge for. Never try sparring with them in dry or ionized air if you aren’t looking for a serious challenge.
Wielders of the unusual Sonic Lightningboom, they have a heck of a sight for their boom with a ring of lightning spraying outward in one big flash. Depending on how it is put to use, the lightningboom can be punishing electrical force or just set your mane and tail all frizzy, including the wielder. Unlike the other boom forms, they require a chargeup time of some kind. Has the potential to be as devastating as an Iceboom if ever you were fighting unassisted and didn’t have to worry about teammates in the air nearby.
Frequently dubbed Sparkies, Zap Slaps, and Bug Zappers.
Fire Types
Now to those born of Fire. It goes without saying, fires have destructive potential. Their natural affinity to flame and the ability to create fire and smoke from the air itself is something of an enigma compared to the other four elementals. Fire is deeply tied to the air and in some rare natural weather events, can spawn naturally on Equus. Capable of not only generating sustainable flames out of nowhere, fires can shape their flames. That’s right, they manipulate fire like a wind type makes blades of air. Be it balls they can launch or spikes of flame that can potentially pierce a target, fires are powerful in a fight against anything that doesn’t have resistance like a dragon. Interestingly, fires can even wrap their flames around their bodies for several seconds at a time and use it like a shield from any fire they pass through. Done right, they are practically immune to fire and nearly as good at firefighting operations as waters, due to their ability to snuff flames as much as make them.
Capable of the Sonic Fireboom, they are the only ones able to throw more concussive force than a cloudboom and almost as loud when they want to be. Typical firebooms cause a large fireball that explodes into an expanding ring of smoke and flame. Handled right, the force can be muted down to almost nothing even as a hot wave of air gets sent off. Another form, they can set off something like a shaped blasting charge. Like ice types and cold, in addition to their capacity to make a fire shield of sorts, they have almost dragon-like resistance to fire and local heat, though not to physical objects that happen to be hot.
You may often refer to them as Smokehouses, Five Alarms, and Coughing Colts/Fillies.
The Outsiders
Now that we’ve giving you a brief rundown of the primary stuff, there are two more types of flight magic we can classify, as well as mention the thestral divergence. The following three summaries will give you an idea about thestrals and their different connection to the Skyborne elemental set, the practitioners of Cutting Feather, and the anomalous standout commonly referred to by a number of names.
We Wonderbolts traditionally refer to it as Commander Hurricane’s Legacy for the history buffs, but most of us just call it the Stuff Of Legends.
Thestrals
I won’t go into the story of where they came from. There’s a library at the academy if you don’t already know, Rookie. The reason they are mentioned separately here is because they have the strange capacity to wield only Wind, Ice, and Lighting affinities. In addition, they always wield two. In a seeming balance, thestrals are also often naturally weaker at each than a pegasus with one alone. The reasons for this have yet to be well explained and ties into their origins, but suffice to say, for the few thestrals with strong enough flight magic to reach our ranks, and there have been quite many over the past thousand years since they first appeared, make them powerful allies in a fight. If for no other reason than they can mix their dual set and attendant capabilities better than any team pair could ever hope for.
Practitioners of Cutting Feather
For reasons I’ve only ever heard speculation on, the pegasi born in this rare group have no Skyborne elemental affinity to speak of. Beyond standard flight magic, it’s simply not there. What makes them stand out is a very peculiar affinity to the ground. Most notably, these pegasi have a strong capacity to manipulate particles of dust and soil around themselves. There are even confirmed reports of them having the capability to navigate in the full blind conditions of a dust storm. Something no other pegasi are capable of.
They are named after the martial style their unique gift spawned which dates back a few thousand years. The Cutting Feather style is both dangerous enough and valuable enough that any Cutting Feather-capable pegasus wishing to study must sign up with the Guard, though that does mean they’re paid to study. Capable of forming said particles, dust and sand into any shape they wish so long as they’re physically connected to it, their limitations are restricted more by imagination than anything else, assuming their unusual flight magic is strong enough. They possess the ability to harden and make blades out of their own feathers to rival most steel weapons at will, hence where their name came from. They can even form plates from dust as hard as stone if they are sufficiently advanced, effectively making them equipment neutral so long as they can get their hooves on enough dirt and sand. They are the only pegasi that experience no difference in their flight magic whether in flight or standing on the ground.
Stuff Of Legends
This final form of Pegasus flight magic is something special.
According to legends and history, much of it preserved only because the Princesses themselves carried it through the Reign of Discord in their memory, it was what Commander Hurricane herself wielded. I know, sounds out there. I thought the same thing back when I first joined the ranks, since I wasn’t into the legends growing up. Since the Reign of Discord however, we have numerous accounts of it being wielded by some of the greatest pegasi heroes in history. Every single one born with it that rose to become a hero, I am proud to say, ended up a Wonderbolt.
Both in the legends of Commander Hurricane and our more recent examples, this form of flight magic is unique. Not for being some uber power pegasus thing, but because they don’t follow the rules of the Skyborne elementals by being limited to only one elemental.
They have all five.
Yes, you read that right. All five Skyborne elementals as a single affinity. Some prissyflank unicorns like to claim they’re a sixth elemental, saying it’s an affinity for straight up energy. Personally, I don’t think it really even matters what we call it. We call it the Stuff Of Legends because every pegasus with it that’s joined us has been one.
Near as we can tell, for reasons not even the Princesses have speculated on, only one pegasus is born every three generations with this gift, although we currently have not seen a single sign of one for over twelve straight generations now.
Oftentimes, they have capacity but lack the flight magic strength to rise to something great. This is unfortunate, but it tends to appear somewhat random with how strong they are. Those that have grown up to become one of us were living legends in their time. When we Wonderbolts manage to locate a pony that shows signs of carrying this special gift, we try to keep an eye on them if they demonstrate an interest in a flight career, especially when they hope to join us someday. A few of them have chosen peaceful lives, which they are free to do.
We keep information on this a secret even within our own ranks. Don’t want idiots trying to pretend and getting their flanks hurt attempting the impossible. Their special capability has been gone long enough at this point their signature boom has been relegated to myth. We among the Wonderbolts keep waiting though, since we’ll see that hallmark again someday. It’s not the first gap in the pattern after all. Eventually like always, a pegasus will be born with it and be strong enough to pull off their signature move around the time they grow up to become an adult.
Personally, I hope I get to see one of their stunning trademarks in my lifetime.
A Sonic Rainboom.
The Battle Of Spring Fawn Valley
Author's Note
Hard to believe this was spawned by writing a chapter about a special talk between Spitfire and Rainbow Dash that mostly came out of nowhere when I got inspired by the Moonspell song 'Extinct' that all should go listen to.
Since it didn't come out in the story like I expected, the following are the 8 Wonderbolts of this battle and their colorations. Haven't thought of a natural spot to work in each description yet.
Major Nimble Nimbus - dark gray coat, black mane/tail
Captain Sky Streak - light blue coat, magenta mane/tail
Captain Cold Breeze - teal coat, two-tone dark blue mane/tail
Captain Thunder Feather - white coat, pink/yellow mane/tail
Captain Spitfire - yellow coat, two-tone orange mane/tail
Lieutenant Cirrus Heat - bright red coat, brown mane/tail
Lieutenant Raincutter - dark green coat, gray/cyan striped mane/tail
Lieutenant Wild Gust - mottled light gray coat, blue mane/tail
The Battle Of Spring Fawn Valley
16 years before the return of Nightmare Moon…
“Think we ought to drop a lightningboom on em for a finale?” asked Captain Thunder Feather as she grinned.
The team’s captain, Major Nimble Nimbus, snorted before rolling her eyes, “You suggest that for almost every show, Feather. Keep it up and I’ll think you’re a one-trick pony.”
“Oh c’mon captain! Feather’s just had too many runs with lightning! Her memory’s shorted out!” Lieutenant Raincutter joked, earning a brief glower from Thunder Feather.
“Besides, everpony loves the explosion of a fireboom! Let em feel the heat of their special somepony’s kiss in the air around em!” Lieutenant Cirrus Heat added.
“Hah! So says the Coughing Colt! You still gotta take your ribbing for smoking yourself out last month in training! Smoke’s supposed to stay by your other end! I taught you better than that!” Captain Spitfire called out, causing the other six Wonderbolts to roar with laughter and poor Cirrus Heat to blush as his hoof covered his face.
They were enjoying the downtime of travel by airship for the week, on their way to do a show in the deer nation of the Cerrios Republic. Between training and public demonstrations and rescue missions for Equestria around the world, it was the only time they had time off on a regular basis that didn’t require them to be on leave. Times they spent well and enjoyed. Camaraderie was constant, as were the jokes and ribbing.
The life of a Wonderbolt was busy and tough, but more than just being fulfilling and an immense honor to be among their number, it was a lot of fun. They were tight as family and the best of the best fliers on Equus.
Except when a call came in, telling of danger and desperation.
That was when the Wonderbolts raised their wings to meet the challenges that spoke to what they really were.
Heralds of Commander Hurricane’s legacy to preserve and restrict the knowledge of pegasi flight magic and everything it was capable of for those that had the training and knowhow.
Watching over the tribes and others on the ground wherever they went.
Defenders of the sky.
***
The tan coated, sky blue maned unicorn stallion in charge of the small fleet, Commander Deck Hammer, strolled across the airship’s deck towards the dark gray pegasus standing near the end of the bow, seeming to enjoy the wind in her black mane as it was tossed about. It was just another quiet morning of the journey, almost lunchtime, with the pegasus mare and her team getting passage with their fleet.
They were on their way to resupply and support the small Guard force handling peacekeeping and mediation so the blow up between the diamond dog nation of Gemwatch and the bear nation of Rollingfog Confederacy didn’t fall into a bloody war. Both sides had agreed to invite Equestrian forces to keep the peace while they worked on rebuilding trust and a trade deal after there had been a dispute about border location. Once they dropped off the Wonderbolts team and their support crew tomorrow in the Cerrios Republic, it’d just be another two days till they were on station.
Stepping up beside the pegasus mare, Commander Hammer looked out into the skies they were flying through a moment, the occasional clouds drifting amid the formation of the smaller airships surrounding the command cruiser Firewalker. Even when things were hectic, it was a calming sight and feeling, but today was just plain relaxing.
Commander Hammer turned his eyes to the mare, team captain of the Wonderbolts onboard, Major Nimble Nimbus, giving a small grin, “So Major...think I could talk you and your team into a small demo for the fleet today before we part ways in Cerrios? Be a chance to flex your wings before they’d get any spoilers for the show...”
Major Nimble chuckled, “Well, I can ask my team if they’d like to show off. Maybe this afternoon, if they’re willing. Not really supposed to ask though, you know…”
Returning the chuckle, Commander Hammer fired back, “So you say, but my wife, Joy Fluff, happens to be one of the administration staff at the academy. I know well enough how relaxed you lot are. Sometimes wish we had that much freedom among the fleets, but such is our requirements. If the fleet had half the atmosphere of the Wonderbolts, we’d never get anything done.”
“Hey, I know Joy. I’ll have to say hello next time I’m at the academy. And yeah, I know. We might be laid back and lax on the surface, but you know what it takes and what we’re capable of. We earned our right to be a bit wild. If we ever went active, we might need a little more discipline day to day, but we’re happy where we’re at and get our job done.” Major Nimble replied, a small smile on her face as she closed her eyes and relished the wind some more.
The two of them stood on the bow for a minute before Commander Hammer saw a glimpse of what looked like a hippogriff stumble to a harried landing before falling over on the deck of a forward escort, drawing a frown from him as a couple crewponies rushed over. The frown deepened as one of the ship’s pegasi suddenly took off and headed straight for his command ship.
He commented to the Major in a wary tone, “Messenger just landed on the Steady Breeze. Got somepony heading our way in a hurry. Probably trouble ahead…”
Major Nimble glanced at him with her own frown before watching one of the fleet pegasi racing over, landing in a rush and charging straight up to Commander Hammer.
“Captain! Messenger just arrived with an emergency call! Dragons are attacking Cerrios! They report having no capability to counter the level of threat and urgently beg our assistance!” the young Petty Officer reported.
Worries confirmed, Commander Hammer took a moment to close his eyes and draw a steadying breath before he returned his gaze to the stallion before him, “Get that messenger to the Firewalker as soon as they can fly safely. I want their full report as soon as possible. Move it!”
“Aye, Captain!” the young stallion saluted and bolted back into the air over the side.
Commander Hammer looked down for a few seconds before slamming a hoof onto the deck in frustration, growling out a sharp curse before looked over to Major Nimble, “Looks like we’re not going to be worrying about an impromptu demo. You best join me on the bridge, Major.”
Major Nimble just nodded and followed.
As they arrived at the Captain’s chair, Commander Hammer sat down and began barking orders once the voice-carrying linked crystals were active, “Attention! This is Captain Hammer to the fleet. Status is moved to readiness orange. All ships ahead full to Cerrios. They have come under dragon attack and are unable to respond. We will proceed with all haste and need to anticipate a combat situation. Further orders will be given as the situation develops. May the Princess guide us through.”
After he’d deactivated the useful but bulky crystal array, confirmations of orders sounding all around, Commander Hammer turned to Major Nimble, “Major, unless we get lucky and they’re small enough, this fleet simply isn’t equipped to handle much with dragons. We are going to need your help. If there’s three or more young adults involved, you’ll have to tear into them or we may lose ships in short order. Our escorts aren’t durable enough to withstand anything more than adolescents. The Firewalker is the only ship we have with the spell cannon firepower to take down a full adult if we have the time to pound them, but I simply do not have the ships for more than one, if that. Aside from this command cruiser, these are mostly light supply and observation airships meant for a light duty mission, as you’re already aware. We’ll hopefully know more once that messenger can get us that full report.”
“The Wonderbolts are on clouds close by as always, Commander.” Major Nimble said in reply.
A few minutes later, the same pegasus that brought the alert entered the bridge, stopping at the door and saluting, “Captain, the messenger is here and ready to give her report.”
Returning the salute for a moment, Commander Hammer was gruff, “Get her in here, Petty Officer.”
The pegasus escorted the hippogriff messenger up to the Commander and Major Nimble. The hen still looked rough and worried, but steady despite the exhausted droop in her wings.
“Give me details, miss. Tell me what happened.” Commander Hammer inquired in a calming tone.
After a moment of distress over her home being under attack, she took a steadying breath, “Sir, Cerrios is under attack by several dragons as of early this morning before the sun came up. Initial reports are that they have begun razing all villages they see. There were some indications of a symbol painted on their scales, but no deer I spoke with before being dispatched had been able to recognize it. It depicted a dragon’s head silhouette over flames in a square shape. Most accounts gathered in the few hours before my dispatch reported between seven to ten dragons present. The accepted age range was that of young adults,” the hippogriff messenger reached into her satchel and pulled out a map, holding it out to Commander Hammer who took it in his magic, “This map has been marked with their initial location and an early estimate of direction. Once you release me and I’ve recovered properly, I’ll return to my station in Cerrios. Our current information has this Equestrian fleet as the nearest announced military force around us for three days at standard airship speed. Please, I know we’re just a small country, but please, help us.”
Commander Hammer’s gaze softened, “We intend to. Unless you have anything further, you’re free to go rest a bit before heading back. I’ll have one of my staff give you a map with our route to Cerrios so your dispatch can keep us up to speed. Have them dispatch another messenger to us as soon as you return so we can get an updated report. Now go rest. Sooner you can get back, the sooner we can better prepare.”
After the hen departed with her escort, Commander Hammer exhaled in further frustration before looking at Major Nimble again, “Seven to ten young adults. Buck. Nothing I can tell you that you don’t already know right now, Major. Talk to your team. I’ll send somepony when the next messenger arrives. You know we’d do it without blinking if you Wonderbolts weren’t here with us. May the Princess safeguard our futures.”
“We’ll figure something out, Commander. The Wonderbolts will be in our common quarters if we’re not on deck. See you when the next one gets in,” Major Nimble said in an even tone before departing.
***
Seven Wonderbolts all looked at each other when they heard the announcement echo around the ship. Each face was set with a glint of determined understanding.
Cold Breeze was the first to speak, “One bit says our Captain comes in and tells us the fleet’s not big enough and we’re the only option.”
“I wouldn’t take that bet if it was zero bits, Breeze. Think we’ll be lucky and they’ll be young enough our weapons’ll be able to get past the scales?” Raincutter said in return.
“They’d have to be pretty young, barely young adult but probably no more than adolescent. Don’t know what we’ll have to do if it’s full adults.” Sky Streak added.
The seven of them didn’t feel much like talking after that, waiting in tense silence until Major Nimble walked in with a dark look.
“I’m assuming the lot of you heard the announcement. The messenger says they have reports of anywhere between seven to ten young adults. An insignia was spotted. Dragon’s head silhouette over fire in a square. The dragons appear intent on maximum destruction and have razed more than one village already. Any idea what the insignia is? Messenger said they hadn’t recognized it before she left to find the fleet,” she said as she looked at the faces of her team.
After a minute to think, Thunder Feather spoke up, “Buck… Sounds like the same one used by The Fires Of Glory. Dragon supremacist group. Some reports indicate they’ve got a couple former warriors in their ranks, but nothing confirmed. They’re merciless. Also believe non-dragons are unworthy of talking to, so we can forget any kind of negotiations.”
“I have to concur with Feather. That’s about what I recall, too,” Breeze said.
“Same here, Captain,” Spitfire added.
Major Nimble gave a grunt, “Alright team, you know how it goes. This fleet is too small. Commander Hammer tells me they could handle two or three, but seven to ten is more than they can take on with any real shot at winning. The Firewalker has the spell cannons to do damage but I doubt they’ll have a clear shot while we’re engaged. Once we have more details from the next messenger, we can start putting together some plans on how we can work this, or at least reduce their numbers for the fleet...”
***
Almost four hours later, Major Nimble joined Commander Hammer in his planning room as the new messenger was departing, the stressed and scared gryphon giving a nod as they passed, his eyes widening a bit in hope at recognizing her Wonderbolts insignia.
She moved next to Commander Hammer, seeing the grim look on his face as he spoke, “No lucky breaks, it seems. They’ve confirmed them at nine young adults. Still no recognition of the insignia. They’ve gone through another two small villages. We’ll be getting updated reports about every two hours until we get closer, then they’ll go hourly or sudden change. Best estimate so far is we’ll be in the area just after dawn. How’s your end?”
Giving a nod, Major Nimble added her own information, “Three of my team think the insignia comes from a dragon supremacist group, The Fires Of Glory. Potential exists for former warriors, but unconfirmed. The group is a bad one and unlikely to be chased off without overwhelming force. I don’t think we’ll have much choice but to give a hard hello. We’ll lay out some initial plans after I get back to my team. How bad is it really going down there?”
Commander Hammer looked Major Nimble in the eye with a hard look, “There’s indications of...not stopping for food along the way. Not counting destruction of buildings and fields.”
After meeting Hammer’s gaze for a long moment to let that sink in, she looked back to the map with a growl, “No question about tearing them apart then. If we had a reliable weather schedule, I’d take the team and be there probably within two hours by slipstream but we can’t risk getting caught unawares when it’s this important. Not enough of us to solidify the bubble. Show me where we’ll be arriving. Best if we got an open area to work over for when their overgrown carcasses drop…”
***
It was early morning and through mutual understanding, the Wonderbolts all gave up on the challenge of sleep. Best to be awake and alert the moment they got in range at that point.
Plans were laid out. For all the details, it boiled down to staying high above the fields they designated to one side of Spring Fawn Valley. When they rendered one of the dragons unable to stay aloft, or even took out a wing, there was a clear area for them to crash into. Just pound on the dragons and wear them down until an opening on a wing came up. Any of them got close enough to the ground or landed, the fleet could open up, but otherwise the airships had to stay clear so the Wonderbolts didn’t have to restrain themselves for their sake.
Major Nimble and Sky Streak would move on the dragons and get them to chase while the rest of the team stayed in the target zone and prepped thunderclouds. If the dragons were careless, they’d play right into their hooves and they’d get hammered by enough lightning to stun them and leave them to crash to the ground.
If they weren’t careless, or if they even proved to have some combat-trained warriors present, the clouds would be less reliable or even useless. In such circumstances, they had already set up pairs and teams. Operating in tandem, they could split to opposite sides of the engagement zone and possibly get a three on four side or better, letting them hit harder and faster while the other team delayed the others with their much better speed.
One problem though, their wingblades and other weapons weren’t going to be strong enough to pierce dragon scales. Even wing webbing would be strong enough to repel anything short of a perfect shot, unlike their flight magic attacks. Another problem, the dragons were strong enough to claw right through their armor like butter. They were just starting to assemble their gear when Major Nimble spoke up.
“Alright, team. Since our gear is only minimally effective in this engagement, I’ll give you a choice. We gear up and maybe survive a few extra knocks we might only take because we’re a little slower, or we suit up and risk taking those knocks full on and make the most of our speed while putting on one crazy show.”
There was a pause as the Wonderbolts looked at each other. Sharing a look and an understanding only trained combatants long used to working together had.
It took two seconds before they all gave knowing smirks and put their gear down before pulling out their flashy flight suits. They’d put on the speed in style.
Major Nimble gave a dark chuckle and grabbed her own flight suit, “You all know the situation. You all know what you signed up for with the Wonderbolts. Remember your training and give it your best. If we don’t stop them now, their next probable target is a major Cerrios city. There are over ten thousand deer that call the place home. They’re working on evac, but you all know that won’t help much. We’re their only shot.”
Once they were all suited up, Major Nimble addressed them again, “These unfortunate deer didn’t ask to be attacked. They didn’t do anything but live their lives like anypony back home would. You all know what the dragons have been doing to them. The citizens need to know we’re here to put an end to this! That we’re here, ready to show them they are not alone! PEGASI ARE IN THE SKY!”
Eight Wonderbolts made a loud single hoof stomp as one that echoed around the room before they headed for the deck.
***
Dawn had broken not half an hour ago when they spotted the dragons on the horizon.
Even from a distance, it was clear they were diving at the ground on strafing runs and roughly the size of two-story houses. The spread of the fires said there were buildings getting burned away. And there was little that didn’t appear already blackened or still burning.
The Wonderbolts were far faster than the airships. They had a visual fix on the dragons now, and the city further over was only a matter of a few short miles away. Every minute, even every second that passed was now measurable in lives.
It was time.
“Remember the plan to engage! Myself and Sky will get their attention while the rest of you spin up! Stick to your partners and stay fast!” Major Nimble bellowed to her team, “The Wonderbolts are on scene and we got a show to run!”
All eight Wonderbolts stepped over to the railing and set their flight goggles in place, tense and ready to do another impossible airshow, with the highest of stakes. Each of them knowing just how dangerous this was going to be. Each of them ready to take to the air.
Then Major Nimble barked the order, “Wings up and get sky!”
In an instant, the Wonderbolts were airborne and not a moment later, clear of the fleet that was moving towards the engagement zone. In short order, they were in a double-V, five over three, as they let their flight magic work as a group to reduce their drag and pick up speed, even the very air trying to get out of their way.
The few ground miles melted quick. Without a word, six peeled off over the designated field and began to spin together thunderclouds out of thin air.
Major Nimble and Sky Streak tightened up side by side and after a few seconds, pushed forward even more as they set off a thunderous tandem sonic cloudboom to announce their presence not just to the dragons, but to the citizens on the ground.
Declaring, in a loud defiant call, the Wonderbolts had arrived.
The dragons watched as the two small fliers shot between their group, blasting them with a powerful pressure wave as they passed and causing the dragons to miss a wingbeat. Angry that ponies would meddle in their affairs, they gave the expected roars of challenge as they moved to chase after them.
Nimble and Sky curved wide around the group of dragons before racing back to the rest of the team. One dragon already showing signs of being faster as it pulled ahead of the rest.
Maintaining a speed to help entice the dragons, Nimble and Sky paced themselves straight into the deceptive spot below the middle of the thunderclouds the rest of the team had waiting. They started to have a suspicion about the other eight, but lacked time to focus on it right away.
The lone dragon flew right into the trap.
As soon as the dragon was in the killzone, heavily charged thunderclouds the size of houses started pouring out lightning bolts as the six in waiting engaged their trap. Pounding on the dragon fast enough to disrupt muscle control and even got one wing several times so a large hole opened.
The dragon fell as it’s damaged wing and other parts twitched, dropping it from the air to fall head first into the ground with a crash. They all knew it wouldn’t get back up.
As the Wonderbolts repositioned by their clouds, they watched the remaining eight dragons separate into two groups of four as they swept wide. It didn’t take much to see they were purposeful in avoiding the optimal area as they started sending more lightning at the two formations sweeping around their cloud setup. They needed time or volume to wear down dragons with lightning.
Once the first formation of dragons got close to the first thundercloud, they opened their mouths and blasted it with fire. By the time the dragons would have passed it, the cloud was gone.
“Buck! Sky, we might have eight warriors here! We’ll send off the bolts we can and then scatter!” Major Nimble yelled as she and her partner raced to another prepared thundercloud after their first was abandoned and added to the ones lost to flame.
Proper thunderclouds had a decent range to the experienced but a pegasus still had hit it to make a cloud fire off it’s lightning. In a scant couple minutes, their dozen prepared thunderclouds were gone and they knew there wasn’t time to spin up new ones in the middle of the fight.
All of them knew the plan and split off once the clouds were gone. Each team of four already knew they were in a bad spot. No advantage of numbers against combat-trained dragons. The risk was extreme and knew they might not make it to see Celestia’s sun go down today.
But the Wonderbolts were all that were between the dragons and the small Equestrian airship fleet. And the citizens of Cerrios.
No time to hesitate with so many lives on the line.
They’d drop them. Or die trying.
Nimble, Sky, Raincutter, and Gust broke for the eastern side of their engagement zone while Breeze, Feather, Spitfire, and Cirrus took the west. Each team drawing four dragons.
“Gust! Stay sharp on my wing and I’ll get you through this, rookie! You have the skill!” Raincutter yelled as Gust matched her. Gust was nervous but she smirked at the encouragement given, knowing they had no choice either way.
The pair came up beside Major Nimble and Sky as they gained more altitude before the dragons caught up.
Major Nimble called out, “Alright, you know the plan! Sky and myself will work primary attacks! Raincutter and Gust, you two take opportunity attacks but work on distraction! Sooner we knock em down, sooner we can go support the rest of the team! Go!”
The four split off in pairs and moved to close in. They had to get in tight to make use of pressure shockwaves, knowing the dragons were probably strong enough to shrug them off and they’d need to make stronger elemental strikes, but at their speed they’d be at a lower risk of getting caught.
Breeze and Feather linked up with Spitfire and Cirrus as Feather barked out over the wind, “Shockwaves likely won’t do much but we’ll take a few shots! We’ll play with em a little and see how they fly before starting to pound! Spitfire and Cirrus, take an open shot at a wing only if you don’t drop your speed! Your fires won’t do much without a fireboom to a weak spot but you can do a lot to set em up for me and Breeze! Stay fast and stay sharp!”
They split off, Spitfire and Cirrus shooting towards an edge of the dragon formation to do initial checks on what their reactions were before they’d start darting in.
Flying across the edge of one dragon’s range, they curved around at the edge of another’s. They caught the dragon’s reactions and how fast they could respond on their wings, range of their tails and claws and jaws. Fire breath would be relative to direction of wind.
After dancing around a minute, they started moving in close. Sweeping into rolls and dives even as they made an occasional shockwave. Though not quite as strong as their trademark booms, they were enough to rattle and even bruise dragons like these at close enough range.
“Sky! Shockwaves ain’t gonna wear em out fast enough! We’ll have to step it up if we want to knock them out of the air! You know the drill! On my wing!” Nimble called to her partner before they rolled over and took a sharp angle to slice between two dragons
The two pegasi were the fastest on the team, cutting between the dragons and right across the back of the wing of the lower one. They each let their wind elemental magic sharpen the air behind them and attempted to cut into the tough but thin webbing, only able to dig in and cause some splits towards the edge as they shot past on the other side, slipping around an attempted tail swat before they were out of range again. The dragon would be feeling those cuts. And with a few more runs, they might leave most of the wing in tatters.
Feather and Breeze came up almost from behind the dragons with only one able to focus on them while Spitfire and Cirrus made a show of balls of fire they set free to slap against the dragons.
With that distraction, Breeze took the lead while Feather built up a charge. A clap of thunder sounding as they flew by another dragon when Feather’s lightning burst hit right in the wing muscles. The dragon roared and lost some altitude before it recovered and started moving back into position. Enough shots like that, they could put one low enough to come under the Firewalker’s care.
Once they were clear, Spitfire and Cirrus set off a fireboom to cover their escape. Looping around, they prepared to set up another opening for Feather and Breeze.
Raincutter and Gust swept between two dragons, pulling attention back to themselves. Gust gave a yelp as she felt a dragon claw graze the edge of her flank and take a few hairs off her tail. Real close, but nothing too bad.
After they were clear, Raincutter swept around Gust and checked. A good-sized rip in Gust’s flight suit and a trickle of blood that was just superficial. They came back around for another pass as Nimble and Sky moved in on the other side.
Taking advantage of another opening, Nimble and Sky opened up almost to another cloudboom, coming across a damaged wing from the back and side. Their sharpened winds cut right into the already present damage as they moved with the wing mid-beat in their pass as it fell. With timing befitting masters of the sky, they sailed over the edge of the wing as it moved down out of their way. Several long tears ripped across the vulnerable webbing, the angle of their passage took them across a good amount of the wing and across the dragon’s back as they left tatters in their wake.
Before they had time to make it clear, they had to tuck and roll in a sharp maneuver as another dragon’s tail clipped Sky’s shoulder before they got around it. Sky gave a harsh grunt from the impact, taking just enough time to process how it hurt before giving a small sign to Nimble that he was good while the dragon they just tore up flailed a useless wing towards the ground.
Spitfire and Cirrus streaked in for another close-in shot as Feather and Breeze got in position again. It was tight, but the two fires wrapped themselves in their own flame before shooting through a dragon’s breath attack, keeping clear of claws for it as Spitfire shifted her position a little further back from a set of claws being too near her side of the fire. As they cleared the dragon’s fire, both Cirrus and Spitfire only had time for their blood to chill as everything slowed down.
The dragons had made a sudden change of tactics and from their approach angle, they’d missed that one was in a different position behind the first and far too close as they started to make a sharp direction change. It’s mouth was already open and coming in.
Time crawled by as the Spitfire saw the dragon’s teeth come down on Cirrus with a hard snap across his middle. She watched as his wing was severed by sharp teeth and how it drifted into her path to rub Cirrus’ feathers across her cheek. She was clear of the dragons a moment later.
Raincutter grimaced at the feeling of her burned neck after one very close call. Gust had taken a hard shot from a tail and she was lucky it hadn’t broken anything, though her whole side would probably be a big bruise. They got themselves set up for another pass.
Feather was leading Breeze for their next run, the striker needing to follow so they were free to drop hits behind when a shot came up and keep visual on their partner for direction cues as they let their focus move away from forward for a moment to hit. Drawing moisture from the air, Breeze had drawn up another couple of large darts made of ice. It took time pull them together and the two had been trading lightning hits and sharp ice almost every pass. The dragons were running too hot to wear them down by icing their wings.
Passing through another dive, Breeze managed to land one in the eye of a dragon. A solid hit that would leave that one half blind and in severe pain. She kept ignoring her foreleg gash, knowing they didn’t have time. The ice she’d sealed it over with made it tingle and she was glad to be so resistant to cold.
Spitfire was in a fury. She knew better than to lose control in the situation when her teammates needed her and managed a fireboom right under one dragon’s wing as it made a downstroke, leaving it struggling to keep pace from the force of impact, probably tore a muscle. The move left her with a tail smack to the hind leg and flank that also put her in one severe spin, but pulled together and ignored the immense fiery pain now in her leg in favor of the fire burning inside. The first one their group sent to the ground by a solid lighting bolt from Feather was the one that got Cirrus. It was about to get back in the air when the Firewalker’s spell cannons cut it down for good.
Raincutter and Gust tore through the air around another dragon, a shockwave slowing the claw coming in and they got clear even as a gash went across Raincutter’s side and flank. She didn’t have time to do anything about it as they carried on with the distract and assault. They had two left after Nimble and Sky tore apart another one’s wing. They were tired and the dragons had nigh endless stamina while they learned how the ponies flew, but they had been pounding on the dragons to slow them down in turn and with lower numbers, it made better openings to attack.
Breeze led Feather into another opening from Spitfire. Feather’s lightning burst connected with the dragon’s neck and didn’t have as much effect as they wanted. Before they could get clear, the tip of a dragon’s tail came up at Breeze, forcing her to throw her forelegs over the front of her neck as she tucked into a backflip to shift her momentum for it. The impact was a hard smash that left her in a wild backspin and she knew her forelegs had to be fractured. Still better than her throat and neck. She grit her teeth as she recovered from the spin and flew on.
The bruising on Spitfire’s back was wearing on her flight muscles but there was no time to stop. She got a ball of fire to smack one dragon in the eyes as she had to redirect her flight path before they trapped her in range of their claws, glad she was almost as fast as the wind types. It was getting difficult to get anything set up for Breeze and Feather.
Nimble and Sky shot into another opening made by Raincutter and Gust, leaving a few more rips in a wing after Raincutter’s water burst crashed against the dragon’s head like a hammer and made it pause. The dragon was fighting to stay aloft by this point. Its remaining partner wasn’t much better off.
Spotting an opening, Raincutter and Gust darted in to put in another shockwave. The second dragon had seen them coming and closed in on their exit path. Raincutter yelled for a rolling dive to the right, knowing she wasn’t moving fast enough. Gust skimmed by the tail as it connected with the side of Raincutter’s neck with a crunch and her wings went limp.
Feather and Breeze couldn’t get into any openings, darts of ice and shots of lightning not finding any good places to hit. Spitfire was trying but distracting three on her own just wasn’t giving them enough room anymore. They hoped the rest of the team finished off their last dragon and were able to join them soon to give them a fresh advantage.
Nimble and Sky slipped around the last dragon again, ripping apart one of it’s wings and leaving it unable to fly at last. As if knowing it was doomed and acting in bitter revenge, the dragon made a painful twist off it’s other wing, enough that muscle and tendon would strain to the point of injury. Its claw came around to Nimble’s side before they could react and carved along her side, shearing away her wing as it passed.
Sky dove with her and pulled her into his forelegs, Gust joining them moments later and flying on his left wing as Sky headed for a nearby cloud, barking out to Gust, “Gust! Offset with Spitfire! I’ll be there in a flash to link up with you! They need our help! Go!”
Gust pulled away and shot through the sky towards the others without argument. Sky got Nimble to the cloud he was heading for and set her down. Knowing the reality she was in, Nimble spoke with a pained snarl, “Buck this, Scrappy! Now I wish I banged you after our last date like I wanted to instead of being a tease. You’re captain now, go take care of our team. See you after the last flight, love.”
Sky gave her a pained smile, “I know, Nimby. Love you too. We’re going to win this. See you after the last flight.” He gave her a peck on the lips before shooting off the cloud, knowing she wasn’t going to last much longer as his eyes burned behind his flight goggles. No Wonderbolt was allowed to die on the ground if they could help it.
With Gust joining her efforts, Spitfire dodged around the three dragons, glad for another helping distract. One painful close call had cost her tail when it was torn off and she was feeling her hind leg more than before, a bad sign. Didn’t matter yet with dragons still airborne.
Feather and Breeze took a circle as Sky linked up with Gust and the two moved in for an attack. Breeze was fighting through her forelegs while Feather dealt with her bashed wing and burned flank that had missed being her wing by the width of a primary. Not giving the dragons any time to rebalance, they shot forward again, Feather setting up the charge for another lighting burst as the dragons kept shifting around.
They saw the ploy for what it was but had no alternatives by then. Claws and fire forcing them to move higher, sweeping out of their attack angle and moving up before rolling over into a dive in synch trying to escape. Caught between three, they had no choice coming in range of a tail but lacked enough room to maneuver past claws as the tail shot into Feather’s side, shattering her wing and rib cage.
Following the fall, Breeze snarled in pain, gritting her teeth as she tried to grab and hold onto Feather’s stricken form, her fractured forelegs protesting in their ice splints. She passed Feather to Spitfire as she came up on the right, letting her take over and pull her upward again before angling back towards the dragons.
Spitfire carried a gasping Feather to a cloud far enough away it should be clear of the fighting. Safe as they’d get as long as the dragons were occupied. Despite struggling to breathe and the clear pain in her eyes, Feather held up a trembling hoof in lieu of being able to talk, a whisper of a knowing smirk on her face.
Swallowing past the lump even as yet more fury filled her, Spitfire bumped her hoof against Feather’s as she started the cloud moving so it could drift towards the fleet on a maybe. “We’re not losing this mess. See you after the last flight, Feather.” She saw Feather’s smirk widen a touch, acceptance in her eyes before Spitfire shot off the cloud again.
Sky grit his teeth as he and Gust came out of another attack run on a wing. Gust’s lower experience was making them hit a little softer than he’d like but with another dragon flailing towards the ground, they were now four against two. Not much more. Every time he thought about just getting his team out of the mess so they couldn’t lose another, he remembered what the dragons had been doing to the citizens on the ground and pushed harder.
Breeze shared a glance and a dark smirk with Spitfire as they crossed flight paths again, working in tandem to keep the dragons harried while Sky and Gust took over the main attack duties. Her ice darts nicked holes in wing webbing and threatened eyes, letting her stay a persistent threat they couldn’t forget about.
Spitfire kept her focus, pouring all her fury into hardening some of her flames into small spears. They splattered against wings but if they caught an eye, the dragons would find out how dangerous they still were. Being fast as she was, it was still an option to slip in for another fireboom against their fraying wings.
Sky and Gust ripped past the last dragon’s wing, causing several more rips and tears. The four Wonderbolts kept altitude when they saw the dragon couldn’t stay airborne on it’s weakened wings as it drifted down away from them. Moving into a slow circle pattern, they took the time to catch their breath and the Firewalker opened up with it's kinetic spell ordnance before the dragon touched the ground.
Once they were confident it was dead, a short couple words was all they needed before they peeled off in two directions. Spitfire and Breeze moved to carry Feather’s final cloud towards the fleet while Sky and Gust went to Nimble’s. They could already see fleet pegasi heading over as the airships turned their way. They were too weary to do more than a brief escort back to the Firewalker as it led the fleet forward. Their other two fallen would have to be picked up by the fleet, knowing they were about to crash out.
When the Wonderbolts got back to the command ship just over an hour after leaving and passed over the final clouds of two of their own, they could only stumble a moment before they collapsed on the deck in varying amounts of pain, injury and exhaustion. They just let the medical crewponies do their jobs as they were lifted onto stretchers with care and moved towards the medical bay.
They had nothing left to fly on with their role in the battle done.
The cost was heavy but they saved a lot of lives.
The impossible was over.
They won.
